How to Put on Weight When You Have Depression

Overview

Figuring out how to put on weight when you are depressed can sometimes be quite a challenging task. A lot of the emotional and physical side effects of the disease can cause you to not have an appetite at all and sometimes you are so disheartened by everything else around you, you can even simply just forget to eat. When you lose body mass this way, it usually is burning up your muscles as well as your fat--which can lead to a more lethargic feeling. Learning how to stop the cycle is important.

Step 1

Start a food journal. As you do with emotions, writing down what you eat and when can help you determine what is causing you to not eat as you should be doing. It may surprise you exactly how little sustenance that you are taking in every day.

Step 2

Make a meal plan. Every week sit down and plan out your meals. Learning how to put on weight when you have depression can mean that you have to structure your eating habits as you would any other treatment for your disease.

Step 3

Research healthy and easy cooking ideas online. See the Resources section for a link. If at all possible, talking to one of the nutritionists at your clinic may help too. They are full of ideas on how to add extra good calories to your diet.

Step 1

Cook as many meals as you can at home. Not only does this provide a creative outlet and activity to keep your mind busy, it allows you to know that you are getting good quality nutrition.

Step 2

Eat snacks throughout the day. This is especially true if you just can't seem to get the energy up to spend time cooking three balanced meals a day when you're trying to figure out how to put on weight when you have depression. Healthy snacks, such as nuts, hard boiled eggs, energy bars and other easy to digest alternatives, give you some of the nutrition you need without making you feel too full.

Step 3

Record in your food journal the foods that please you the most and any new ingredients you happen to try for future reference when cooking. You don't want to forget something that could become a favorite comfort food.

Step 1

Talk to your doctors about any diet changes that you are making and if you still don't seem to be able to stop losing pounds. Keeping them informed, and even showing them your food journal, is an important part of staying on task. They can offer support and more ideas on gaining some of your body mass back. Not to mention that your loss of appetite could be a side effect if you are on any medications and they may need to adjust it or find and alternative.

Step 2

Exercise. Having an exercise routine helps to re-build any muscle that you may have lost when you were not eating properly. Working out also releases feel good endorphins and will help increase your appetite.

Step 3

Keep searching out new ideas on how to put on weight when you have depression. Your therapist and/or support group is a great place to find out how others have dealt with the same thing.

How to Put on Weight When You Have Depression by daily-health-tips.com